Royals vs. Cardinals Game 1 Prediction
The Royals and Cardinals will play a doubleheader at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, with Game 1 set for 1:15 p.m. ET. Will these teams score enough runs to hit the over for bettors in the first game?
Game Snapshot & Odds
975 Kansas City Royals (+160) at 976 St. Louis Cardinals (-174); 9.5 runs
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
1:15 p.m. ET, Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
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Public Betting Trends
According to our MLB Public Betting Chart page, 80% of the betting tickets are on the Cardinals to beat the Royals on the moneyline.
Kansas City Royals Fantasy Spin
Nicky Lopez went 2-for-5 with a run scored in Sunday’s win over the Angels. Lopez turned in his third multi-hit performance in six games thus far since being promoted, knocking a couple of singles and scoring one of the Royals’ five runs in the win. He’s got three doubles in 25 at-bats but has yet to hit a triple or a home run, owning an RBI and three runs scored in those six games. The 24-year-old is hitting .320/.393/.440 and looks very comfortable at the major league level, where he’ll likely stay for a while if he keeps hitting at this level.
St. Louis Cardinals Fantasy Spin
Paul DeJong had a double and three RBI in Sunday’s loss to the Rangers. DeJong delivered a big hit in the first inning when he smacked a two-run double off Rangers starter Drew Smyly. It was his only hit on the afternoon, but he came through again in the 10th inning with a sacrifice fly that gave the Cardinals a fleeting lead. The shortstop has been one of the biggest pleasant surprises to date, batting .320/.408/.562 while primarily hitting between Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna in the Cards’ lineup. It’s a sweet gig, one that should continue to yield good counting stats, even if regresses from his terrific average and OPS.
MLB Betting Trends
Kansas City
The Royals are 10-4 in their opening games of a doubleheader.
St. Louis
The Cardinals have lost five their last six at home and four of their last five overall.
Prediction:
The over is a perfect 4-0 in Michael Wacha’s last four home starts, is 5-2-1 in his last eight outings overall and is 4-1 in the Cardinals’ last five games versus an opponent with a winning percentage below .400. St. Louis’ offense has been drastically hot and cold of late but the team does have the firepower to take advantage of bad Kansas City pitching. Wacha, meanwhile, struggles to get through an opponent’s lineup a third time and the Royals, while only 16-31 on the year, do have an underrated offense.
The Pick: Royals/Cardinals OVER 9.5 (Game 1)